Best Japanese Milk Bread Dinner Rolls with Tangzhong and a Bread Machine
Sneak Preview: Get ready for the ultimate Japanese Milk Bread Dinner Rolls—made with Tangzhong in a bread machine. Try the whole wheat version for extra fiber or indulge in my Chocolate Surprise Buns for a sweet twist!
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Did you know the best and softest dinner rolls you’ve ever eaten can be mixed in a bread machine?
What You Can Look Forward To
- Light, fluffy, and flaky texture
- Rich and flavorful taste
- Simple yet beautiful shape
- Gorgeous, golden-brown, and soft crust
- Convenient mixing and kneading with a bread machine
- Instructions for using a stand mixer or hand-kneading in the recipe notes
Don’t worry. The following directions and pictures will show you how to mix, knead, and allow the dough to rise in a bread machine. Shape the dough by hand, let it rise, and bake in a conventional oven. It’s a hands-off way to mix and knead your dough. For those of you who like to play with your dough, you still get to shape them by hand. It’s easy with my method.
Happy Bakers Speak Up
“These dinner rolls are the absolute best! My family thanks you for the recipe… I have made them twice a week for the past few months, and they never get tiring. They are light & fluffy, and a definite keeper. Thanks!” —ANGIE
“I don’t think I ever commented on your blog how much I LOVE these rolls! They turn out so tender and soft. Thanks so much for sharing!” —STACIE
What Is the Tangzhong Technique?
This Japanese technique cooks a small percentage of the flour and liquid (water or milk) in a yeast recipe very briefly before combining the resulting thick slurry with the remaining ingredients.”
kingarthurflour.com
Using the Tangzhong method, this Japanese milk bread (Hokkaido milk bread) recipe involves making a thick paste (roux) with some milk and flour. This step takes only a few minutes in the microwave. If you don’t have a microwave, heat the mixture in a small saucepan over low to medium heat, stirring until it thickens like gravy.
The result? Incredibly tender bread that stays fresh for 2-3 days, much longer than typical homemade bread. However, these delicious rolls rarely last that long in my house!
Why Use a Bread Machine?
A bread machine does a better job of kneading than most of us can do by hand. It’s also a set-it-and-forget-it proposition. After you select the DOUGH cycle, you can forget about it for the next hour and a half with one exception. I always take a peek after about 10-15 minutes to make sure the dough consistency is right.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- MILK:
- Whole milk yields the richest rolls, but any milk works.
- No need to warm the milk—the friction of the bread machine paddles will heat it up.
- FLOUR:
- Unbleached all-purpose flour makes the tenderest rolls possible.
- Bread flour makes a chewier roll.
- EGG:
- The recipe was developed with large eggs (approx 50 grams).
- Adjust the liquid or flour if using a different size.
- HEAVY CREAM:
- Heavy cream or an egg yolk add extra moisture and tenderness.
- GRANULATED SUGAR:
- No substitutions have been tested.
- SALT:
- Use table salt or sea salt. If you use Kosher salt, add ¼ teaspoon extra.
- BUTTER:
- Use cold, chopped unsalted butter. If using salted, reduce salt by ¼ teaspoon.
- There is no need to soften or melt the butter. Slice it with a table knife and add it to the other ingredients already in the pan. The friction of the blades will melt the butter in a timely manner.
- YEAST: Bread machine or instant yeast is the easiest and most predictable yeast. If you only have active dry yeast, add an extra ¼ teaspoon, as active dry yeast can be a little slower to rise.
- Bread machine or instant yeast is best. For active dry yeast, add ¼ teaspoon more.
Can I Form the Dough into Different Shapes?
Making your own bread is all about creativity! I love shaping the dough into balls, crescents, or rolls, and it also makes fantastic, light hamburger buns. For beginners, cutting and slicing is easier than shaping balls—though they may not look perfect, that homemade touch is unmistakable.
Variations
Whole Wheat Tangzhong Rolls
To make these whole wheat Japanese milk bread rolls, substitute 1 cup (120 grams) of whole wheat flour for 1 cup (120 grams) of all-purpose flour. Otherwise, follow the recipe.
Chocolate Surprise Buns
How To Mix Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
Don’t worry if there are a few small lumps. However, if you accidentally let it overcook into a single mass, it’s best to start over and watch it closer.
The dough should look similar to the picture above when the kneading has finished. You may still see a little dough underneath the paddles, but that’s OK.
How To Shape the Tangzhong Dough
Parting Thoughts: This recipe is easy, but if you are a complete newbie at baking bread, take a look at my super easy recipe for Classic Dinner Rolls. If you love these Japanese Milk Bread Dinner Rolls, the next step is to try my Tangzhong Cinnamon Rolls. And please. Invite me to help you eat them as I can’t have them in my house. They are way too dangerous.
Addendum 8/26/23: As usual, I’ve been messing with this recipe to make it easier and better. There are some minor changes to the milk and flour amounts and the directions. I wanted to make the recipe easier to follow and, of course, produce even lighter and flakier rolls. Let me know if you have any questions.
Recipe Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Japanese Milk Bread Rolls made with a Bread Machine
Video
Ingredients
Tangzhong Paste
- ½ cup (113 g) cool milk–whole, 2%, or nonfat
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
Dough
- ½ cup (114 g) cool milk
- 1 large (50 g) egg
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) heavy cream OR one egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
- 1¼ teaspoon (7 g) table or sea salt
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) cold butter, chopped
- 2¾ cups (330 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) bread machine or instant yeast
Filling (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) softened butter (28 gr)
Instructions
Making the Tangzhong Paste:
- Measure ½ cup (113 g) cool milk–whole, 2%, or nonfat into a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup or Pyrex bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoons (15 g) unbleached all-purpose flour. Cook on High in a microwave for 45-60 seconds (microwaves vary), whisking every 15 seconds until thickened like pudding.
Dough:
- Add ½ cup (114 g) cool milk to the Tangzhong paste from above and whisk energetically. It’s OK if there are still some lumps. They will disappear in the mixing process. Add to the bread machine pan.
- Add 1 large (50 g) egg , 1 tablespoon (14 g) heavy cream OR one egg yolk, 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar, 1¼ teaspoon (7 g) table or sea salt , 4 tablespoons (57 g) cold butter, chopped, 2¾ cups (330 g) unbleached all-purpose flour , and 2 teaspoons (6 g) bread machine or instant yeast to the pan. Select the DOUGH cycle. Press “Start.”
- Open the lid and check to ensure the paddles are engaged and the dough starts clumping.
- Recheck 12-15 minutes later to ensure the dough is the correct consistency. It should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly.If the dough is too dry, it may thump against the side of the pan or ride around freely on top of the post. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too wet, impossibly sticky, and won’t pull away from the sides, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Give the dough time to absorb the flour or milk between each addition.Find out more about this surprising secret to success with a bread machine here.
- When the dough cycle finishes, check to see if the dough has risen to double its original size. If so, remove it to a floured surface. If not, allow the dough to remain in the machine until it has doubled in size. Remove the dough from the pan onto a lightly floured surface.
Shaping and Baking the Rolls:
- Divide dough in half. Form each half into a neat ball, flouring the surface you are working on as needed to prevent sticking.
- Use a rolling pin to roll one dough ball into a 13 x 9 rectangle. Coat with half of 2 tablespoons (28 g) softened butter (28 gr). (The butter is optional: I skip this step with the butter because the rolls hold together better as they rise.) Divide into four equally-sized strips longways, then divide each strip in half shortways. You should have 8 total strips. Roll each strip starting from either of the short ends.
- Place eight rolls into a greased 8-inch pan. Repeat step two with the other half of the dough and another tablespoon of soft butter. Cover with a tea towel or cheap shower cap and set aside to rise again until almost double. This will take an hour, plus or minus, depending on the room temperature.
- Preheat your oven to 375 °F (190˚C) when the rolls are almost ready. Bake rolls on the middle shelf of your oven for 15-17 minutes or until nicely browned. I highly recommend you use a quick-read digital thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 190˚F (88˚C) to 195˚F (90˚C).
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Turn rolls out onto a cooling rack for another 10-15 minutes to prevent soggy bottoms. Brush all over with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. (If you leave rolls in the pan too long after baking, they will sweat and become soggy on the bottom.)
Notes
Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand:
- To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer: Add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on LOW to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Then, using a dough hook, turn up the speed to 2 or 3. Continue beating/kneading until the dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 5-10 minutes). Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
- If making by hand: Combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead with your hands until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Kneading will likely take 10-20 minutes, depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate the dough gently and shape it as indicated in the recipe.
- Please note: If you only have active dry yeast, use 1/4 teaspoon more than is called for in the recipe. It no longer needs to be dissolved first, but you can if you prefer.
Make-Ahead and Storage:
Make the dough on the DOUGH cycle. After that, shape the rolls and chill them in the fridge overnight. The next day, allow the rolls to come to room temperature and rise until almost double before baking. If you want to freeze the unbaked shaped rolls ahead of time, place the rolls on a tray in the freezer until they are hard. Remove them from the tray and drop them into a (double) plastic bag. When ready for hot rolls, take out as many rolls as you need. Allow them to thaw and rise(2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours) before baking as instructed. Variation: Make whole wheat Japanese Milk Bread Rolls by substituting 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Everything else remains the same.Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.